Adipose body of the orbit

Abstract

The adipose body of the orbit (ABO) fills most of the orbital cavity, surrounding the eyeball, muscles, nerves, and vessels. It was studied in histologic section in the three basic planes in the fetus, neonate, and adult. In the retrobulbar area, that is, posterior to the eyeball, adipose tissue occupies the space around the optic nerve and penetrates between the recti muscles, describing a four-leafed clover pattern in frontal section. The fatty tissue of the retrobulbar area also includes the peripheral ring of fat that lies between the muscles and the walls of the orbit. In the part of the peribulbar area located between the muscular insertions on the eyeball anteriorly and the emergence of the optic nerve from the sclera posteriorly, the pattern of adipose tissue is identical to the peripheral ring of fat and the fat between the muscles in the retrobulbar area. External to the muscular insertions and the anterior part of the eyeball, there is a thin ring of histologically similar fatty tissue that is continuous anteriorly with the fatty bodies of the upper and lower eyelids. Histologic examination shows that the lobules are large in that part of the retrobulbar area within the muscle cone and that they are smaller with more fibrous septa in the remaining restricted regions, such as the area between the eyeball and muscles and in the rings around the muscles and around the eyeball. In no case was a septum found separating the peripheral adipose ring from the fat located within the muscle cone.

Detection of thyroid peroxidase mRNA and protein in orbital tissue

“…To date, there are no publications to suggest differences in fat tissue accumulation at the intraconal (posterior) and extraconal (anterior) sites. A publication by WolframGabel R et al found no septum between intra-and extraconal fat and histologic sections demonstrated that the adipose body of the orbit is a single anatomic entity (27). It was clear, however, from our work that in cultured fibroblasts, the degree of TPO mRNA expression was similar in the two groups.…”

The influence of retrobulbar adipose tissue volume upon intraocular pressure in obesity

“…RAT is more developed in the parabulbar area, filling the space behind the eyeball. Orbital adipose tissue is limited by the peripheral muscle cone into a lattice-like structure, the margins of which consist of the four oculomotor muscles (superior, inferior, medial and lateral rectus muscles) which divide the adipose tissue into four sheets 19 . RAT histologically belongs to white (unilocular) fat tissue.…”

Characterisation of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 in human orbital adipose tissue: a comparison with subcutaneous and omental fat

“…OF fills most of the orbital cavity, and surrounds the globe, extraocular muscles, nerves and vessels providing support to these delicate structures and protecting against sight-threatening mechanical and inflammatory trauma (Wolfram-Gabel & Kahn 2002). Two types of orbital adipose tissue have been defined: anterior OF consisting chiefly of small adipocytes that are separated by thick conjunctival septa providing support to intraorbital structures, and posterior OF consisting of larger adipocytes separated by thin conjunctival septa enabling structural movements within the orbit (Bremond-Gignac et al 2004).…”